Who/What/Why?

WHO AND WHAT IS VYM

VYM is a Manchester-based and focused network of not-for-profit organisations that work with young people. Our members utilize a variety of methodologies in their work with young people, the common ground being the aim to empower and improve the life chances of those with whom they work.

VYM operates on a limited budget with minimal staff and volunteers. We are therefore dependent on the goodwill of workers across the voluntary youth sector who give their time, skills and expertise for the mutual benefit of our organisations and the young people we ultimately serve. We are also well supported by a Board of Trustees who provide both strategic guidance as well as valuable time and expertise.

VYM members come in all shapes and sizes:

CASE STUDIES:

M13 Youth Project is a community-based voluntary sector project that works together with young people to create opportunities for enjoyment, learning, action and change.

Established in 1995, we work from an inclusive Christian value-base, specialising in street-based detached youth work and using the principles and practices of informal education and community development to work with young people often labelled ‘hard-to-reach’, in the inner-urban areas of Brunswick, Longsight, Coverdale and Victoria Park in Manchester. We believe all young people can love, think, create, reflect, enjoy, achieve and make a positive difference to their world and our work with young people seeks to reflect and evidence this. Although our schedule can look very different from one week to the next, each week you will find us out on the streets, meeting, listening to and chatting with young people, offering group and one-to-one tailored support and working together on developmental activities and projects initiated and planned by young people. Our work methods have a clear developmental process and are worked out together with young people.

Levenshulme Youth Project was set up in January 2012 to address the lack of open access youth activities in the area. The project was initiated by local residents Jo Latham-Brown, Lydia Merril and Hannah Peake with support from Great Places Housing Group and the Inspire Centre.

Initially funded by a CASH grant from the ward the initial 3 month pilot held at the Inspire centre was a huge success particularly with the neighbouring Roma Community. This evidence of need was then used to successfully apply to the Manchester Youth Fund. The project currently runs an open access drop in, a Youth Forum and a girls group as well as targeted short term projects such as a Young parents group, holiday activities and an annual Youth Festival. Levenshulme Youth Project also facilitate the Levenshulme Youth Partnership which brings together groups such as the Cubs, the Woodcraft Folk, YASP and GMP to support each other, identify gaps in provision and work together to improve the opportunities for young people in Levenshulme and surrounding wards. Levenshulme Youth Project is now a constituted community group supported by Great Places Housing Group with the aim to become a self sufficient independent body in the next year. We currently work with over 100 young people on a regular basis.